ZOOM PROGRAM AVAILABLE "Pushing the Envelope - A History of the Post Office Through Stamps" is available for Zoom presentations to libraries, senior centers, stamp clubs and other organizations.  Description: By viewing images of vintage US postage stamps learn about the history of the US Post Office from the first letters carried on the Boston Post Road to the current postal controversies.   Hear about the work of Benjamin Franklin, the expansion of the Post Office after the Revolution, the introduction of home delivery, the short-lived Pony Express, the carrying of mail by railroads, buses, boats and trollies, the initiation of rural free delivery, the first commemorative stamps, the start of Parcel Post, the introduction of zip codes, postal strikes, the first Forever and personalized stamps and the impact of email on the PO’s financial situation.  See images of the many creative ways mail has been carried including rockets, dog sleds, camels and mules used in the Grand Canyon.   Click Zoom for more details.  If you would like a link in how to register to watch one of these programs, email to Zoom. Programs are currently scheduled for  January 14, February 2, 4 and 11. ATTENTION TEACHERS: If you would like some free stamps, both US and worldwide, to use with your students to create a geography or history lesson, just email your request to teachers. We can also give you some ideas.

HAVE A HAPPY PHILATELIC HOLIDAY

Archie, our stamp collecting Alligator, has a great collection of holiday stamps both from the United States and worldwide. He would like to share it witih you. His display is on the Museum website. Click at holiday stamps. The stamps to the left are from Christmas Island and were issued by the Australian Post Office. GALLERY TOURS While you are on the website, we hope you can take a few minutes to take our virtual gallery tour and also view our exhibit celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment to the US constitution.

STAMP TO HONOR NISEI SOLDIERS OF WORLD WAR II The U.S. Postal Service has announced that its 2021 stamp program will include a “Go for Broke: Japanese American Soldiers of WWII” stamp to honor some 33,000 Japanese American soldiers who served in the U.S. armed forces during World War II. “Go for Broke” was the motto of the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and eventually represented every all-Japanese American unit that was formed during World War II. The stamp honors the service and sacrifice of the 33,000 American men and women of Japanese heritage who served during World War II. Over 800 gave their lives. They served with distinction and honor alongside the 16 million fellow American servicemen and servicewomen of the war.  The stamp is based on a photograph and was designed by art director Antonio Alcalá. The USPS stamp services director says the 2021 stamps are aesthetically pleasing and informative at the same time.

COVID-19 STAMPS WORLDWIDE

In our past few newsletters, we have shared with you stamps from variouys countries that related to the Covid-19 virus. If you are interested in a survey of all the stamps that have been issued in 2020, click on this link Covid. It is an article from the Canadian Stamp News. FREE POST CARDS FROM IRISH POST OFFICE Earlier this year, to help people keep in contact while in isolation, Ireland’s An Post issued postage-paid postcards (pictured) to all of their country’s households to encourage people to write to one and other. “They called this ‘Come Together. Write Now.’ They actually sent two postcards; the postcards came together and people just separated them. With postage paid they could be sent anywhere in Ireland. One widely shared example includes a young boy’s message to his Nana: “I love you. When the virus is over, I’m going to hug you and kiss you to death. Bye bye.” “I think a lot of people are missing their grandparents and their grandchildren,” said one postmaster "so I think these are nice ways to kind of keep people connected.”

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HISTORY OF THE BOSTON POST ROAD  The Boston Post Road also called The King's Highway was the first road to connect Boston with New York and then was expanded to all the other colonies. To get a brief overview of the history of this famous road that both Ben Franklin (he helped with creating the mile stones) and George Washington traveled, click on these two articles: Post Road.and Kings Highway THE FIRST CHRISTMAS STAMPS There is some debate about what nation issued the first Christmas stamp. The image below issued by Canada in 1898 is usually sited as the first Christmas stamp since it mentions "Xmas" although the image is only a map. Other collectors say Hungary or Austria should be credited with the first holiday stamps. The United States post office issued its first Christmas stamp in 1962 with an image of a Christmas wreath. Over one billion were printed. The first US Hanukkah stamp was issued in 1996 and the first Kwanza stamp in 1997. For more information on this subject click on Christmas and stamps.

CAN YOU GIVE US A HAND? As we look forward to safely reopening the Museum , we have continued sharing our educational programs electronically and creating exhibits to be shared with all of our enthusiasts – ages 6-60 and 9-90! We thank all those who have supported us over the past year. We ask others of you if you can also please support our efforts by going to the bottom on our webpage (click webpage) and clicking on the donate button. A $50 will give you a one year individual membership.

TRIVIA QUESTION Why does an image of the Statue of Liberty appear behind the image of Joseph Pulitzer on this 1947 commemorative pictured below? Send your answer to trivia. Correct answers will receive some state flags first day covers. If you would like to know the answer, email your request to trivia.

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YOUTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP OPEN

The Museum is offering a free, one year membership for children ages 6 to 16 in our Youth Club. Children receive a monthly packet of topical stamps, worksheets and philatelic information, a discount in the Museum store, a monthly stamp calendar plus free admission for themselves and the family. For more information email to Club.

FREE EDUCATIONAL CALENDAR If you would like to receive our monthly calendar/almanac that features stamps which celebrate historic events of each weekday of the month, email to calendar. December 21, 1913 - The first crossword puzzle is published in the New York World newspaper OUR HOLIDAY SPECIAL FREE SET OF UNITED NATIONS FIRST DAY COVERS. Email your request to FDC.

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